Read the Mar. 3, 2008 article in The Desert Sun, which includes excerpts from the following Q&A about the director's film, Maria Tallchief.
• What is your film background?
As you can see, my background is extensive as I am the first contemporary American Indian to have produced for a major television station beginning with "The Native American" series for KNBC out of L.A. which was produced in 1974 and broadcast in 1975. At this time, there was no other Native American in a major producing and writing role, which is what I was doing in '74.
• How did you discover this story?
What drew me to Ms. Tallchief's story was the realization that there had been no major documentary done on her very extensive and important life and I wanted to remedy that. We have precious few role models for American Indian women and I wanted to help fill that void.
I also believe that it is important to pay attention to our lives in the present tense, not just the past tense since we are alive today and many like Maria Tallchief have made significant contributions to our life and culture, and such contributions should be acknowledged.
• Why do you believe it is important that your film be a part of the Festival of Native Film & Culture?
I think such festivals are a very important outlet for us as native people. We need venues like this so that more and more people can begin to understand our lives from our own point of view, not just those from outside perspectives.